The Advantages of Extended Nursing

As I look back
over the past 22 months that I have nursed my son, Harold Trey, I can
see many advantages to extended breastfeeding. The two that have made
our lives easier are that breastfeeding comforts him when he is sick
and helps him feel better when he is hurt.

When Harold Trey was around a year old, he split his lip open. There
was blood everywhere. I started to panic and called my husband to come
and help. But before my husband could get there, I followed my first
instinct, which was to nurse my son. The bleeding stopped and so did
his tears.

He had his first
ear infection when he was 13 months old. He had a high fever and, of
course, an earache. All we did all weekend, day and night, was nurse.
He would not eat any food. It felt so good to be able to breastfeed
him and give him the perfect food. I was able to comfort and nourish
him at the same time.

During long
trips, I have been able to keep my son happy by breastfeeding him. This
summer we took a 12-hour car trip from New Jersey to Virginia. We brought
a lot of toys, books, and food. These things were able to keep him somewhat
contented, but, after many hours of traveling, I was always able to
meet his needs and soothe his tears by breastfeeding him. We have also
taken him on three airplane trips. After each trip, we got compliments
on his good behavior and people asked what our secret was!

Nursing a toddler
can be a challenge. My son will pull my shirt up in public and get upset
if I pull it down. He will breastfeed for a minute or two, play for
a minute, and then want to nurse again. It can also be rewarding. At
night when he is nursing to sleep, he lets go, looks into my eyes and
says, "I love you, Mommy." That is the best thank-you he could
give me. I look forward to nursing more children and learning more about
the advantages of extended nursing first hand.